Kane eases into Warner’s shoes
NEWDELHI: When Sunrisers Hyderabad lost David Warner before this season, there was speculation the 2016 Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, despite a strong bowling attack, could flop. Warner had carried the side’s batting on his shoulders and was the second highest rungetter in 2016 when SRH became champions; and the second highest run-getter last year when they lost in the playoffs.
However, his replacement as skipper, Kane Williamson, who is poles apart in temperament to the aggressive Australian, has led from the front and to the cusp of the playoffs with the tournament barely past the halfway mark. SRH have 16 points from 10 games and a win against bottom-placed Delhi Daredevils at the Kotla here on Thursday will guarantee them a spot in the playoffs.
Williamson has emerged the most valuable player in SRH. With 410 runs at over 51, the Kiwi skipper has scored more than double the runs the second high- est run-getter in his team.
He has also been inspirational as skipper. His RCB counterpart Virat Kohli recently pointed out the need to let bowlers make their own decisions. Williamson has ensured regular conversations with bowlers. Unlike Warner, who had little experience as captain before IPL, Williamson leads New Zealand in all three formats. And the manner in which he has used his bowlers, especially spinners, has impressed all. “Kane is very astute. We’ve seen that with him captaining the New Zealand side. He has transitioned into that role here,” said Moody. “He is not that old when it comes to international cricket captaincy. But he has a very wise head and reads the game very well in pressure situations. It is great to have Kane take that responsibility.”
There has rarely been a moment in international cricket where he has let go of his emotions, but in IPL he has expressed himself on a couple of occasions.
Moody said: “The pace and emotion are of different kinds in Test and T20s. While Test is a grind, T20 is fast and furious where even the most subdued character will get a little bit emotionally connected. I don’t think he has gone over the top, he just cares.”